Sarah Palin on Health Care

Republican Governor (AK); 2008 nominee for Vice President

ObamaCare should focus on helping doctors via tort reform

Congressional Democrats hatched a plan to pass the ObamaCare bill without the House ever actually voting on it! And why? Because the support in Congress wasn't there. And the support in Congress wasn't there because public support wasn't there. The
American people have a principled wisdom that all the lawmakers & academics & schooled-up "experts" in DC fail to appreciate. Washington may have managed to make it law, but we still don't support ObamaCare. It turns out we can't be so easily bought.

Still, the bill was passed and the damage has been done. In the end, this unsustainable bill jeopardizes the very thing it was supposed to fix: our health care system. Somewhere along the way we forgot that health care reform is about doctors & patients,
not the IRS & politicians. Instead of helping doctors with tort reform, this bill has made primary care physicians think about getting out of medicine. It was supposed to make health care more affordable, but our premiums will continue to go up.

Greater competition, more choices, and less litigation

In this chamber, we share a commitment to serious health-care reform. We've learned from experience that all the answers do not come from Washington. When Congress turns to health-care reform this year,
we look to our delegation to make the case for greater competition, more private sector choices, and less litigation in the health-care market. But we're not going to wait. Here, reform can move forward without delay.

Source: Alaska 2009 State of the State Address
, Jan 22, 2009

Health Care Commission recommends habits against obesity

We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity--and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won't stand here and lecture--for very long--but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save
a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.

It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it's hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby.
But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors--and when you live in the Great Land, there's no excuse.

Protecting good health is largely a matter of personal responsibility, but government policy can help.
Our new Alaska Health Care Commission will recommend changes that affect the well-being of Alaskans far into the future.

$5,000 tax credit for families to buy their own coverage

PALIN: I am. He’s proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage. That’s budget neutral.
That doesn’t cost the government anything as opposed to Barack Obama’s plan to mandate health care coverage and have a universal government-run program. McCain also wants to erase those artificial lines between states so that through competition,
we can cross state lines and if there’s a better plan offered somewhere else, we would be able to purchase that. So affordability and accessibility will be the keys.

BIDEN: You know how John McCain pays for his $5,000 tax credit a family will get?
He taxes as income every one of you who has a health care plan through your employer. You’re going to have to replace the plan you get through your employer--which averages $12,000--with a $5,000 check. I call that the “Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere.”

FactCheck: Obama’s plan does not remove private insurance

Palin also said that Obama’s plan would be “universal government run” health care and that health care would be “taken over by the feds.” That’s not the case at all.
As we’ve said before, Obama’s plan would not replace or remove private insurance, or require people to enroll in a public plan. It would increase the offerings of publicly funded health care.

Source: FactCheck.org on 2008 Vice Presidential debate
, Oct 2, 2008

FactCheck: McCain’s plan costs $14B/year; not budget-neutral

Palin claimed that McCain’s health care plan would be “budget-neutral,” costing the government nothing. Palin said McCain is “proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage.
That’s a smart thing to do. That’s budget neutral. That doesn’t cost the government anything--a $5,000 health care credit through our income tax, that’s budget neutral.”

The McCain campaign hasn’t released an estimate of how much the plan would cost,
but independent experts contradict Palin’s claim of a cost-free program.

The nonpartisan U.S. Budget Watch’s fiscal voter guide estimates that McCain’s tax credit would increase the deficit by somewhere between $288 billion to
$364 billion by the year 2013, and that making employer health benefits taxable would bring in between $201 billion to $274 billion in revenue. That nets out to a shortfall of somewhere between $14 billion to $163 billion--for that year alone.

Signed up as organ donor; Alaska leads the states

Gov. Palin today applauded the milestone that more than half of Alaska residents--335,033 people--have signed up to be organ and tissue donors. Alaska is the first state with a donor registry to enroll more than half of its state’s population.
The Governor, First Gentleman and their two oldest children are organ and tissue donors.

“I am proud that so many residents recognize the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation,” Governor Palin said. “Their willingness to donate demonstrate
the selfless and generous nature of Alaskans.“

April is National Donate Life Month. Every day in April, people across the U.S. make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by
becoming organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors. Life Alaska Donor Services is the tissue donation organization serving the State of Alaska, offering the option of donation to families who have suffered a death.

Health care must be market-and business-driven

Governor Sarah Palin today introduced the Alaska Health Care Transparency Act which will provide more effective tools to help Alaskans access affordable health care, and to ensure our health care system is responsive to changing demographics and market
conditions.

The bill would establish an Alaska health care information office to give consumers factual information on quality, cost and other important matters to help them make better-informed decisions about health care in the state.
Recognizing that health care must be market-and business-driven, rather than restricted by government, Governor Palin is proposing a repeal of the Certificate of Need program (CON). CON is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers
to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded services. [Palin’s administration] concluded that the CON program does not benefit the citizens of Alaska, given the litigious environment surrounding it.

Take personal responsibility for personal health & all areas

Together, let’s provide the services that our Constitution requires, constitutional services such as education, public safety, and a solid infrastructure--and let’s do them right. Let’s commit to take responsibility for good stewardship when we’re
developing our natural resources. Let’s remember that Alaskans are capable and created to work. So when government provides education and job training, every able-bodied Alaskan is expected to work and not simply rely on government to provide.
Let’s take personal responsibility in all areas of life--including health. What we consume and engage in impacts not just our personal health, but our communities too.

Let’s reign in government growth so individual liberty and opportunity can expand.
And let’s expect that every region contributes to our economy, to fulfill our promise to be a self-sufficient state made up of the hardest working, most grateful Americans in our nation.

Doctors should manage health care, not bureaucracies

I established our Health Care Strategies Council and we’ll pursue many of their recommendations, starting with our Health Care Transparency Act, requiring that consumers get better information about prices and quality of their own care.
We will allow competition. Under our present Certificate of Need (CON) process, costs and needs don’t drive health care choices--bureaucracy does! Our system is broken and expensive. We propose, as many states have, eliminating the
CON, to increase choice and to manage rising costs. Currently nine CON lawsuits are adversely affecting consumers. Alaskans want health care in the hands of doctors, not lobbyists and lawyers.
We are considering what other fiscally conservative states have done to incentivize employers to provide medical insurance for employees, based on the free market.

Personal responsibility & choices key to good health

Our choices often lead to heart disease, diabetes, underage drinking, drugs, violence, and abuse. Soaring health and public safety costs are sometimes unfairly passed on to others.
But more importantly, by ignoring or accepting selfish choices that cause the abuse, children, families and entire communities are destroyed. Government cannot cure all ills.
And don’t assume more laws foisted on Alaskans are the only answer--most “bad activity” is already illegal. We have got to make wise, healthy personal choices, including choosing not to ignore child abuse.
I’m counting on families, communities and faith-based groups to step up, together, to help passionately here, too.

Flexibility in government regulations to allow competition

I look forward to working with affected parties to find the necessary solutions that will lead to more affordable health care for Alaskans. I support flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care that is needed,
and is proven to be good for the consumer, which will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies. I also support patients in their rightful demands to have access to full medical billing information.

More affordable health care via competition

HEALTH CARE - Obviously, high medical costs are hurting Alaskans and our Medicaid budget has quadrupled in the past 10 years. Solutions to this problem are complex, and no one person has all the answers.
I look forward to working with affected parties to find the necessary solutions that will lead to more affordable health care for Alaskans.
I support flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care that is needed, and is proven to be good for the consumer, which will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies.
I also support patients in their rightful demands to have access to full medical billing information.